


Pathetic, Potter

by inspired_being



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-21
Updated: 2017-12-21
Packaged: 2019-02-17 21:14:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,187
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13085502
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/inspired_being/pseuds/inspired_being
Summary: Harry liked to escape to his usual table by himself at the tea house and he didn't want anyone to change that... not even for the annoying blonde prat he'd developed feelings for. Well, so he thought until said blonde randomly decided to join him for tea one morning.





	Pathetic, Potter

**Author's Note:**

  * For [digthewriter](https://archiveofourown.org/users/digthewriter/gifts).



> Dear DIG, I had a tough time pondering over your prompts and thinking of something I'd actually have a chance at finishing. In the end, my muse took over and sort of smashed a few things together into something I hope you will enjoy.  
> To the Mods, thank you for being so patient with me when RL took over coming up to submission time and for making sure we can all enjoy this fantasic fest!  
> And lastly, to my beta CJ, for supporting me and doing what you do best.

“You look rather pathetic, Potter,” Draco said as he placed his tray of tea on the table and sat in the chair next to Harry.

“Didn’t think pathetic people were worth your time, Malfoy.”

“I said you _look_ pathetic.”

“I still don’t _see_ why you brought your tea to _my_ table.”

Harry had watched Draco enter the tea house from his usual spot, tucked away at a table in the back, close to the counter and opposite the door. With his back to the wall, he had a full view of the people passing by the front window and those entering the door. This was where he came when he needed a break from the office.

“No one else was sitting here, were they?” Draco asked. This wasn’t the first time Draco had encountered Harry here, but it was the first time he had chosen to sit next to him.

“No, but I liked it that way.”

“Well, we can’t always have everything the way we like it now, can we?”

Harry scoffed. “That’s rich, coming from you.”

“Come now, Potter. Not everything is about money.”

“Seriously, Draco?” Harry shook his head. “Do we really have to play this game?”

“I’m not sure what game you’re referring to. I thought I was being quite serious.”

Harry sighed. “What do you want, Draco?”

“I’d like to enjoy my tea and biscuits in peace, like everybody else here.” Draco gestured to the five others scattered around the tea house. It was usually pretty quiet at eleven in the morning.

Harry just glared at the blonde man in front of him as he poured the freshly brewed tea from it’s pot into the cup, added milk, and took a deliberately slow sip.

“Dammit Draco. Did somebody put you up to this?”

Draco frowned and placed his cup back on the saucer. “Has being an Auror made you that paranoid?”

“Come on, you can’t tell me your behaviour isn’t somewhat out of the ordinary.”

“Fine. I can take a hint.” Draco moved his seat back from the table and stood, lifted his tray and moved to an empty spot a few tables across. Harry regretted it immediately.

He couldn’t help but think that that had been Draco’s way of making the first move.

\---

Following his somewhat unusual encounter with Draco, Harry found himself venturing down to the tea house for a couple of hours each day. He was hoping the blonde would show up again and that he, Harry, might return the supposed gesture. He tried to keep his mind busy as he waited by bringing down some of the paperwork that had been piling up on his desk for months. He even visited the tea house during his weekend off, but Draco didn’t come back. Didn't even walk by the window from what Harry saw. 

It was little over a week after Draco had sat at his table when Ron approached his desk in the Auror Office. “Hey Harry, you’re report pile is looking pretty low. Is everything alright?”

Harry glanced up at this best friend before scanning his eyes over his desk. Besides his assortment of stationary and a few photos, there were only two small piles of paper. He couldn’t remember the last time his desk hadn’t had numerous stacks of paper everywhere. He looked back at Ron and replied, “Yeah, fine.”

“You sure?” Ron questioned again.

“Yes, Ron. And you can tell Hermione I’m fine too,” Harry sighed. “Nothing is going on.”

“Great, then you won’t say no to going down to the tea house for a break with me then.”

Harry narrowed his eyes at his friend. Ron hardly ever chose the tea house for his quiet time out of the office.

“Sure,” Harry finally replied, trying to keep the suspicion out of his voice.

It wasn’t long before they were at Harry’s usual table with Ron seated to the side, half facing the door.

Their tea came and Ron began debriefing him about a case he'd recently closed. They finished their first cup and the topic changed to updates on family and friends. Harry poured himself a second cup and heard the door open as he replaced the small pot on the table. Looking up he saw a brown haired wizard he didn't recognise followed by one he knew all too well.

Harry must have been staring obviously as Draco and his company made their way to the counter because Ron glanced around to see them too. “Err… should we go back to the office?” Ron asked.

Harry made himself look away from Draco and the other wizard and back to Ron. “No, it's okay. We can finish our tea.”

“If you say so.” Ron poured his second cup and continued relaying the latest news of Norberta the dragon that Charlie had told him a few days ago.

Harry was only half paying attention to Ron’s story while he watched Draco lead his guest to a table close by. His guest sat with his back to them and Draco sat facing the man and, in turn, facing Harry. 

Harry wondered if Draco had done it deliberately to annoy him. Surely he'd seen them sitting here.

It was only a minute or so before he caught Draco glancing over his company’s shoulder at him.

“What are you frowning at?” He barely heard Ron ask the question. “Harry?” Ron waved his hand in Harry’s face.

Harry finally shifted his gaze from Draco to his best friend. “Yes?”

Ron rolled his eyes. “If Hermione were here she'd probably remind you that it's rude to stare.”

“Speaking of Hermione, neither of you have had any contact with Malfoy lately, have you?” Harry took a bite of his shortbread.

“No. Before today, I hadn't seen or spoken to him since the last Ministry charity event a few months ago. Why?”

Harry looked over to Draco’s table and saw the blonde peeking over the other wizard’s shoulder at him again. Harry was sure it helped that the other man was a few inches shorter than Draco. A smirk developed on Draco’s face then he ducked his head back behind the short wizard.

“It’s almost as if he knows.” Harry half-whispered the words behind his tea before he drunk some of it.

“What, and you think Hermione or I might have told him?” Ron scoffed. “Thanks mate.”

“Sorry,” Harry said. “I know you guys wouldn’t tell my secrets to anyone… but you’re the only ones that know. And if someone else had figured it out, surely it would be in The Prophet or something.”

“I dunno. You don’t think Malfoy might have worked it out for himself? I mean, you have seemed to get on pretty well with him at the last few functions you’ve both been at. Wasn’t it the last one where you spent half an hour discussing Quidditch and who should make England’s side for the World Cup?”

“Yeah, but that was just civilised conversation, small talk. How would he have learned anything from that other than that while we both follow the leagues, we have very different opinions on who is good and who isn’t.”

Ron shrugged. “Body language. The way you look into each other’s eyes or are constantly checking him out. You’re staring at him right now mate, it’s not exactly subtle. I’m actually surprised no one has speculated about it in The Prophet yet.” 

Harry glared at Ron. “What?” His friend responded. 

“I think you’ve been spending too much time alone with Hermione.”

Ron just shrugged and continued drinking his tea.

“Any ideas who that wizard he’s sitting with is?”

“Not the faintest. Though I didn’t get that good a look at him.”

“Do you think they’re on a date?”

“Why would Malfoy bring a date here, of all places? We are talking about the same person, aren’t we?”

“Yeah, you’re right. Maybe I’m just being paranoid.”

As Harry finished the rest of his tea, he caught Draco looking his way three more times. Why did he keep looking at him? Who was the wizard he was having tea with? More questions he didn’t have the answers to floated through his head, one after the other. He needed to get away from Malfoy before he went crazy and did something he’d regret.

“Ready to head back to the office?” Harry asked, returning his empty cup to the table.

“Yeah, I guess so.”

“Good, let’s go.” Harry stood and took a step towards Ron as he got to his feet too. “See if you can get a good look at the guy with Malfoy on the way out too,” Harry whispered. “I want to try and use our memories to see if we can get an ID on him.”

Ron rolled his eyes. “Sure, mate. Whatever you want.”

\---

In the few days that had passed since Malfoy had entered the tea house with another wizard, Harry couldn't get the way the blonde had kept looking at him off out of his mind. He had found out who the wizard had been at least; Charles Stapleton, one of the talent scouts for England’s Quidditch team. 

Harry wondered if the meeting had had anything to do with the conversation Ron had reminded him of from the charity event. Corrupting the team selectors to get one up on him was something Harry wouldn’t put passed Malfoy.

He was sitting in his usual spot at the tea house on what was a busy Friday morning when he next saw Draco. He watched him walk in and straight to the counter to order his usual before going to sit at the window with his back to Harry.

Harry watched as the tea sommelier finished making Draco’s tea and without thinking, he got up and went to the counter. “Excuse me, would you mind if I served this to the man at the window for you?”

The young woman looked up and seemed surprised by the offer. “Err… do you know the man?”

Although he was still shocked when younger people didn’t recognise Malfoy, Harry knew it was a good thing. He smiled and said, “We have a lot of history.” 

The tea sommelier looked at Draco and back to Harry. Harry read their name badge. “Look Gwen, you know who I am, right?” She nodded. “Well, I’d owe you one if you let me do this.”

Gwen thought about it for a few more seconds before moving the tray towards Harry. “Thank you,” Harry said as he lifted the tea and made a direct line for the table at which Draco was seated.

“Thank you,” Draco said without looking at him when he put the tray down.

“You’re welcome,” Harry replied. 

Draco turned to face him then, but didn’t seem surprised… more amused. “You really are pathetic, aren’t you?”

“What?” Harry took the seat opposite Draco, although he immediately felt uncomfortable with his back to the window.

“Not to mention completely obvious. However, I am surprised it took you over two weeks. I guess Blaise won that bet.”

“Over two weeks for what? What were you betting on?”

Draco laughed. “How long it would take a Gryffindor to pluck up some courage. And I really thought I wouldn’t be waiting more than a couple of days after I first sat next to you and told you you looked pathetic.”

Harry narrows his eyes at Draco as the blonde poured his tea. “You mean…”

“Yes, Potter.” Draco sipped the light brown liquid. “So, shall we continue into lunch or are you going to keep me waiting until dinner?”

Harry looked at the clock on the wall. He supposed Ron could handle things in the office for another hour or two. “Err… I guess I shouldn’t keep you waiting any longer.”

“Wise decision, Potter.”

“One request though.”

“Yes…”

“Can we go back to my table, please?”

Draco peered at the neglected table, at Harry, to his tea and back to Harry. “Oh, alright.”

Harry felt as if he could kiss him, but didn’t think he was ready to do that just yet. Instead, he leaned down and whispered in Draco’s ear. “Thank you.” 

Being that close, he couldn’t help but breathe in Draco’s scent. Definitely intoxicating. He started to straighten back up when he felt Draco lean into him and whisper a reply. “You’re welcome.” Then a warm hand was on his chin turning his head and before his knew what was happening, Draco was kissing him. His lips were soft and sweet and gone before Harry wanted the kiss to stop. He opened his eyes (though he couldn’t remember closing them) and saw shining grey ones looking back at him.

Harry didn’t think the smile would leave his face any time soon. “You totally set this up, didn’t you?”

Draco smirked. “Would I do something like that?”

Harry’s grin widen. He pulled back, picked up Draco’s tea and walked it back to his table, placing it down next to his own tray. Sitting back in his favourite spot, it felt satisfying to have Draco beside him this time. Not pathetic at all.


End file.
